The lawmakers' fishing expedition has led them into a series of meetings with moderate Democrats and Republicans, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel as they try to maintain momentum on an issue in the face of stiff opposition from senators who want to keep the focus on the economy.

Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) all said over the past week that they have been making it perfectly clear to everyone that they are open to new ideas when it comes to tackling climate change.

"My approach here is we really must do something this year," said Lieberman, who has been co-sponsoring cap-and-trade bills since 2001. "The two problems of American energy dependence and global warming will only get worse. We've just got to do the most we can. I'm not being rigid or ideological about it. So anybody who wants to try to make the problem better, it's worth considering."

"We're just going to keep everything on the table and not putting out a framework at this point," said Kerry, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The trio last fall indicated they plan to compromise on more nuclear power and expanded oil and gas drilling. But they had resisted calls to pare back their plans on an economywide cap-and-trade program, saying that was the lowest-cost alternative for industry.

Until now.

All three now say they are willing to listen to senators who would prefer alternative ideas, including starting first with emission limits on the electric utility industry and then perhaps phasing in other parts of the economy.

"You ask about the power sector, to do that alone wouldn't be my first choice, but if it's all we can do in the end, I'd consider it, sure," Lieberman said yesterday.

"Some people have mentioned different sectoral approaches, we're looking at that," Kerry said. "We're looking at everything. What we want to do is make sure that we get the job done. And we're not wedded to any one way of trying to do that, so we're looking at options."

Another option is the "cap and dividend" approach that forgoes trading of greenhouse gas credits. Kerry, Graham and Lieberman met yesterday with Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), co-sponsors of a bill that does just that.

They are also meeting soon with Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and George Voinovich (R-Ohio), both of whom have to varying degrees considered the power plant-only approach.

Graham last week said he was appealing to Republicans to sign off on a limit for greenhouse gas emissions, and he too was open to different ideas. "I think you've got to price carbon," he said. "You can have a hybrid system of emission controls and taxes."

Several longtime cap-and-trade supporters also have offered some cover to the Senate trio as they search out a compromise.

"I don't think anybody has given up on cap and trade," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). "I think big, comprehensive bills are very difficult to do in this environment, regardless of what it is. I tend to be an incrementalist. I say do what you can do, when you can do it. Because everything is opportunity and timing. If you have both, you can get it done. If you have only one, it's very difficult to get it done."

"There's going to be some significant compromises that are going to have to be made if we're going to get an energy bill done," said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.). "We knew it two weeks ago. We knew it last week. We know it this week. This is nothing new. We knew we'd not be able to get a major energy bill done without some significant change."

Cardin said a deal that notches 60 Senate votes also could withstand any divisions that emerge from the left.

"My expectation, if we succeed, there'll be strong support for what we do from the environmental community," Cardin said. "Will it be universal? I doubt it. But if we're going to be able to get a bill done, there are compromises that are going to have to be made, and some groups are not going to be happy about it.

"Our goal is to make sure we reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Cardin added. "There's different ways you can accomplish that."

The 'fence' grows

Kerry, Graham and Lieberman may have reason to be optimistic after a pair of moderate Democrats indicated they are not entirely closed off from negotiations.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said yesterday that she is open to a broad climate and energy bill as an alternative to the U.S. EPA climate regulations expected in the coming months.